This invention relates to electric meters, and more particularly to a tamper-resistant sealing ring for an electric meter.
The conventional way of indicating tampering with an electric meter is to insert a wire through holes in the sealing ring coupling the cover and socket of an electric meter, and securing the free ends of the wires together with a soft metal, such as lead. If an inspector finds that the wire or seal has been broken, this is usually sufficient evidence that someone, and probably the customer, has been tampering with his electric meter.
However, various ways have been designed to by-pass the sealing wires or to substitute a new sealing wire for a broken sealing wire.
Other types of devices and mechanisms have been designed to render electric meters tamper-proof or tamper-resistant, but most of such devices involve more complicated mechanisms, some of which are ineffective.